Shingle strip



M. W. SEARLS SHINGLE STRIP Sept. 3, 1935.

Filed Aug. 3, 1951 INVENTOR M Y R w A R s m S T W A N. w L ME. mm

Patented Sept. 3, 1935 PAT @FHQE SHINGLE STRIP Application August 3, 1931, Serial No. 554,762

Claims.

This invention relates to shingle strips particularly adapted for siding purposes.

Heretofore shingle strips for siding buildings in simulation of brick, have been made from flexible 5 felt sheets saturated and coated with asphalt and surfaced with granular mineral material. These strips are notched to form tabs, the body portion being surfaced with material differing in color from the tabs, and are laid in such manner as to expose a horizontal band of the body portion together with vertical stripes thereof under the notches between the tabs in order to simulate mortar joints. This material affords cheaper construction than brick and for certain types of building is therefore more desirable.

It has been found that such composition shingle strips can be produced at a considerably lower cost if no attempt is made to simulate the mortar joints. My invention contemplates the production of shingle strips for siding which from a distance simulates brick but by reason of the fact that no mortar joints appear, the manufacturing cost is less and by virtue of the design of the strip, the amount of material required to cover a given area of side wall is considerably reduced. Hence where the cost is a more important consideration than appearance, this type of strip is more desirable than the type simulating mortar joints.

Moreover in fastening siding strips to buildings much difliculty is experienced in holding the strip in place while fastening. As a result, the rate of speed at which the strips are laid is retarded and frequently the strips are out of alignment. The object of this invention is to overcome these difiiculties by providing a shingle strip with means to hold the strip in place while it is being fastened thereby expediting the work and eliminating the possibility of improper alignment.

Another object of the invention is to cut shingle strips froma sheet of flexible material having one or more longitudinal bands of surfacing which differ in .color from that of the main body of the sheet, so that the resulting shingle strips v 45 have tabs of different color than the body of the strips and when laid, will approximate the appearance of brick. The manner in which the foregoing objects are 50 accomplished is more fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawing of which,

Figure 1 is a plan or face view of the preferred form of a shingle strip constructed in accordance 55 with the invention;

Figure 2 shows one way of cutting the strips from a sheet'of flexible material;

Figure 3 illustrates the method of laying the strips.

Referring to Figure l, the numeral l indicates 5 the shingle strip made of a base of flexible fibrous material such as felt, saturated and coated with asphalt and surfaced with granular slate or other gritty material. The body portion 2 of the strip is substantially rectangular in shape and them tabs 3, also rectangular, depend from the lower edge 4 of the body, spaced apart at distances substantially equal to the width of the tabs. As shown, two tabs depend from each strip but the number may be greater or smaller. Each tab is spaced from the lateral edge of the shingle at a distance equal to substantially one-half the width of the tab. The tabs are surfaced with grit of Y a color distinguishing from the color of the grit surfacing of the body. If desired, the tab may be thicker than the body portion. Notches or recesses 5 are cut in the lower edge of the body portion and spaced a short distance from the lateral edges 6 and 'I.' These notches are cut to such depth that the distance between the apex or upper extremity 8 of the notch and the top edge 9 of the body is substantially equal to the distance from the lower edge 4 of the body to the lower edge 10, of the tab.

The preferred method of cutting the strips is shown in Figure 2. The sheet of flexible material II has two longitudinal bands I2 and i3 of different color from the main body of the sheet, spaced from the longitudinal edge of the sheet so that the distance between the edges l4 and i5 is substantially twice the distance from the edge Hi to the marginal edge ll of the sheet or the distance from the edge Hi to the opposite marginal edge l9.

A zig-zag cut I9 is made lengthwise along each 40 band to form alternate extensions and depressions conforming to the shape of the desired tabs.

In this manner two laterally adjacent rows of shingle strips will be cut from each side of the longitudinal median line of the sheet, the tabs of the strips formed from both said rows being cut from one band, the tabs in one row forming the depressions of the laterally adjacent row. For example, considering the band l2, the sheet is severed into a row of strips the body portions of which are formed in the zone 20, and the tabs 3, of which are cut out of the band I2 and into an adjacent row of strips, the body portions of which are formed in the zone 2| and the tabs 3" of which are also cut out of the band l2. As

in each row are staggered in relation to the transverse cuts 24 and 25 of the adjacent lateral row. Each transverse cut extends only to the line defining the inner edge of a depression and preferably bisects it. The notches 5 are cuton opposite sides of and spaced a short distance from each transverse cut. The outer edges of the notches are defined by the inner edges of the depressions. The sheet is slit longitudinally along the median line 28 to produce four rows of strips with no waste other than the small amount cut out of the notches.

In laying the strips the lower edges of the body portion between the notch 5 and the lateral edge 6 at one end of the strip and between the notch 5 and the lateral edge I at the opposite end are inserted as shown at 29, Figure 3, under an underlying strip in the preceding course which has already been fastened. The remainder of the strip overlaps 'the underlying strip as far as the apices of the notches. The strip thereby holds itself in place while the applicator fastens: it. The adjacent courses are laid in staggered relation so that the tabs 3 of the overlying course lie immediately above. the indentations 21 of the underlying course. invention the notches 5 are cut to sucha depth that the bottom edges of the tabs of each course extend to and lie coincident with the upper edges of the indentations 21 of the strip in the preceding course. Thus; when the strips are laid. rectangular areas of the body of the strips in each 7 course are exposed in alternate relation with the tabs of an overlying course, like areas being exposed alternately in-successive courses, thereby, presenting the appearance of bricks of alternating color. The corners 29 will be covered by the tabs of the adjacent overlying course and leakage is thereby prevented.

"notches along the lower edge spaced from the lateral edges thereof and widely spaced tabs of a color contrasting with that of'the body portion, the notches of overlying strips being inserted over the upper edges of adjacent underlyingstrips and the tabs of overlying strips being in staggered relation to the tabs of underlying strips whereby alternate tabs and body portions of substantially. equal areas are exposed, said In the preferred form of the strip, said tabs being separated by spaces substantially complementary in shape and equal in size to the tabs, each course being laid with the tabs in staggered relation to the tabs of the ad- 'jacent underlying course and with the lower edges of the tabs of each course in coincidence with the upper edges of the'spaces of the adjacent underlying course, whereby to expose between the adjacent tabs of each strip a portion of the body of the strip in the underlying course equal in size and shape to that of said tabs, but of a different color from that of the said adjacent overlying tabs and from the tabs of said overlaid strip.

3. A siding construction of the character described, comprising successive courses of shingle strips having tabs differing in color from the body portion of the strip, said tabs being separated by spaces substantially complementary in shape and equal in size to the tabs, each course being laid with the tabs in staggered relation to the tabs of the adjacent underlying course, and with the lower edges of the tabs of each course coinciding with the upper edges of the spaces of the adjacent underlying course, whereby to expose between the adjacent tabs of each strip a portion of the body of the strip in the underlying course equal in size and shape to that of said tabs but of a different color from that of the said adjacent overlying tabs and from the tabs 01 said overlaid strip.

4. A surface covering including a row of shingles. comprising exposed portions spaced apart a distance substantially approximating the length of the exposed portions and projections extending laterally of the upper portions of the side edges thereof, and a second staggered row of. similar shingles the lower ends of the exposed portions of which overlap the shingles of the first row adjacent thereto, and the lateral projections of which have portions extending beneath the upper edges of the shingles of the first row.

5. A surface covering including a row of shingles comprising exposed portions spacedapart a distance substantially approximating the length of the exposed portions and projections extending laterally of the upper portions of the side edges thereof, slits extending upwardly from the lower extremities of the projections, and a second staggered row of similar shingles, the lower ends of the exposed portions of which overlap the shingles of the first row adjacent thereto,

and the projections of which have portions extending beneath the upper edges of the shingles of the first row, the slits of the shingles of the secondrow engaging the upper edges of the shingles of the first row.

' MELVIN W. SEARLS. 

